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`PHINEAS E. AUSTIN, CF NEW AVEN, CONNECTICUT.

Leners Peten: Ne. 34,468, dazed Deeember 1,1868.

Mirow-.1D Mn'raoto or HOUSING Arm Ana-Usme Dme AND PrrncmnsA The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent `and part of the same.

TJ cltwho'm it-may concern:

Be it known that I, Pnrxnns E. Ausw-1x, of New Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connoctiout, have invented a new and useful lmprdvement in the Method of Holding and Adjusting Dies and Punches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters oi' reference marked thereon. Said drawings constitute part of this spceificatiomandrepresent,

kFigure 1, a plan ofthe lower or female set of dies, showing the manner of holding the same v Figure 2, aplan of the upper or male set of dies; Figure 3, 'a cross-section ofthe lower dies, taken through line x x ,1

Figure 4, a section line y y;

Figure 5, aside view, with the upper and lower sct of dies in their proper relative positions;

Figure 6, an end view lof thesame; and, in Figure 7, a'plan for using and adjusting four dies in the same machine.v

Similar letters of reference, when `they occiu' in the separate views, indicate like parts.

My invention relates to an improvement in the method of holding and adjusting dies and punches;

of the upper dies, taken through --and consists of two or more dies or punches, which are acted upon separately by a series oi clamps and Wedges, whereby the dies may be moved either backward or forward or at right angles, thus enabling the said die to be adjusted to a niccty, without the labor which'is necessarily incurred in the method now in use.

In` cutting any article under a press, which has to undergo two ormore operations before leaving the saule, as, for instance, .in making washers, it is very much more convenient to use a set of dies or punches, that is, one die or punch for each operation, set at the requisite distance apart, and worked by the saine power at the same time, thereby performing all-the operations by simply passing the iron from which they are to be cut once through the press. This has been done in the case of washers, which have been cut by having a double die made either of one and the same piece of iron-or steel, or held rmly'together and fastened into the head of' the press, these being lined and titted in the ordinary way of fitting dies and punches. The greatv objection to this method is that, whenever the male or female dies or punches are sharpened, it is necessaryto upset them, and, in sodoing, they are thrown out of line, so that, when they are replaced in tl1e.head of the press, itis necessary to line and tit them anew,

' making so much extra work as to render the use of a double die in this way impracticable. 'To obviate this, and render the use of two or more dies, thereby punching two or more holes in one piece of `metal at the same' time, practicaland simple, and, in so doingsaving time and labor, is the object of myinvention.`

my improvement, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation of thc same.

wedges. e 1

B is the frame of the die, made in two parts, between which the thimble or female die C is held.

-The circle inthe die-frame, into which the thimble sets, is bevclled downward. The tumbler C is also co1'- respondingljy bevellechas shown in fig. 3. This preventsthe said thimble from beinglifted out of place bythe operation of the press.

` The die-frame, being made iu two parts, enables the using of diiTerent-sized dies'by simply removing the thimble and replacing one of the required size with the same die-frame, the said thimbles being equally as firm as if the said die-frame and thimble were solid. D and D are-wedgeswl1ich slide against a portion ollthe bed-plate, and act upon two sides, or rather one side and one end of the die-frame. These wedges may be operated either by driving them to their vplace or by means of set-screws, as shown in the drawing.

E and ET are clamps or gibs, also acting upon the of the bod-plate, as shown in iig. 3.

to the bed-plate. This gauge-pin should be placed equidistaut between the centre ofthe t w o punches. It is made of the same size or a very little smaller than the small die or punch. Its object is to hold the .metal steady, and in its proper place, while being punched. It is also made' adjustable, by means of screws, with slotted bearings, in orderto allow for the variations in the size of the dies. ,f

-G and G" are two male dies, which are inserted in a their positions by means of a wedge.

These said dies are also held together by -means of a connecting-block, H, which is dovetailcd into each, in such a manner that, when theylare placed -in the groove of the frame, and the wedge driven, it tends to draw the two dies down upon the dovetailed ends ofV the frame. The object of thisconnecting-block is to allow the said dies G and G to be set at different distances apart, by using blocks of different lengths. I have shown these dies as held, also, by abolt'passin'g throughhoth dies and connecting-block;*but4 this is merely for additional security, andY is not essential, the dies being held without it.

This completes the construction of my improvement.`

The operation is as follows:

In order to adjust the dies, the upper set ormale dies, which are lixed, are carefully lowered into the To enable others skilled in the art -to make and use A is a bed-plate, made in a suitable form,'to hold the dies and forni proper bearings for the clamps and die-frame, and pressed forwardagainstthe same by means of set-screws a, which pass through the edge l F is a gauge-piu, placed upon a spring, and fastened dovetailed groove made in a frame, and held firmly in l the connecting-block, and make it impossible to sepa. rate the' dies until they are taken from the groove in' firmly enough for practical purposes or punch the centre hole.

lower set or female dies, as shown in red, iig. 5, which are left loose ond movable. Vvliile the dies are thus together, the clamps or gibs E and E may he brought to bear upon the die-trame, after which the wedges D and D may be driven or screwed inward until the dieframe and thimble are held `suiieiently firm for use. After this, the metal from which the 'article is to vbe made is introduced,

In the case ot' washers, the first operation is to cut After this, the metal is passed forward until the hole reaches the gauge-pin F. The spring on the said gauge-pin throws it into the hole, where it is secured until another hole is punched.

It is then passed forward again until the last h ole punched reaches the gauge-pin. The hole first punched has now reached the centre of the large die or thim'hh 0, and, as the upper dies G descend, and with every succeeding revolntiml a descent of the said dies, unt-il the material is exhausted, a washer is eut, and, also, another hole is punched.

lIt is noticed that the large male die is given the lead, or made longer than the other. This is-to prevent any bending er erowdinfjr .of the metal, which would be liable to occur if botlrdies struck at the same time.

The method shown in iig. 7 is in every way similar to the one above deseribed, except it is for the use of bed-plate.

four dies, instead of two, and'requres a dierent-shaped The thimble's' are'held in a' frame, and the frame acted upon by clamps orgibs and wedges, exactly iu the same manner as in the ease of two dies.

y Having thus fully described myinvention7 What I claim as new and useful, and desire to ser-.ure

vfitting into the dovetailed groove in the stock, and the wedge, all substantially as described.

4. '.lhe conuee-ting-hloek H, placed between lthe two punches o1" male dies, for the purpose of holding them together, substantially in the manner and for the purv pose specified.

PHINEAAS E. AUSTIN.

Witnesses z EMMA J. GORDON, RUFUs H. SANFORD. 

